U.Va.'s Institute for Environmental Negotiation Seeks Nominations for Leadership Award in Environmental Conflict Resolution

UPDATE, March 31, 2011: Nomination deadline extended to April 30.

January 20, 2011 — The Institute for Environmental Negotiation at the University of Virginia is seeking nominations for the Gerald P. McCarthy Award for Leadership in Environmental Conflict Resolution.

The institute's mission is to practice conflict resolution and consensus-building, to learn from that practice, and to teach and build capacity of others – all in the service of creating ecologically, socially and economically sustainable communities.

The institute gives the annual McCarthy Award to an individual, organization, local government, agency, educational institution or community that demonstrates leadership in the effort to preserve and protect the commonwealth's environment; supports collaborative problem-solving through actions, contributions and/or educational programs; and that is a role model to others for the resolution of environmental issues.

The institute will accept nominations through April 30. A nomination form is available at virginia.edu/ien/mccarthyaward.htm.

The institute will present the 2011 award on behalf of the Virginia Natural Resources Leadership Institute, a partnership program of the Virginia Department of Forestry, the Virginia Tech Center for Economic Education and the U.Va. Institute for Environmental Negotiation. The Virginia Natural Resource Leadership Institute's mission is to develop leaders throughout Virginia who can help groups involved in contentious natural resources issues move beyond conflict toward consensus building and collaborative problem-solving.

The institute will announce this year's award recipient at the graduation of the 2011 Virginia Natural Resources Leadership Institute class in Charlottesville on June 2.

The Institute for Environmental Negotiation created the award in 2004 to honor McCarthy, its first recipient, and to honor his varied contributions to protect and promote environmental literacy in Virginia. Among other accomplishments, McCarthy brought environmental mediation to Virginia. As executive director of the Virginia Environmental Endowment, he has been instrumental in awarding funding to create and continue support of the Institute for Environmental Negotiation.

Last year's McCarthy Award was presented to William H. Street, executive director of the James River Association, for his leadership in watershed restoration, education, outreach and advocacy.

For information about the McCarthy Award and the Virginia Natural Resource Leadership Institute, contact Steve Talley, program manager, at 434-924-6569 or st.vnrli@gmail.com.

— By Jane Ford





Media Contact

Jane Ford

U.Va. Media Relations